Castle & Associates
by Minstrel164
Summary: Castle has returned from the war in the Pacific a decorated war hero. Resuming his successful writing career, he also runs a successful detective agency. When the woman he loves is accused of murder he sets out to find the real killer and clear her name.
1. Chapter 1

_**I was inspired to write this story after first seeing the promotional photograph of the fourth series of Castle. The first chapter has been sitting on my computer for a couple of months now waiting to be let loose on the world. The story is set about a year or two after the end of World War Two. I hope you like it.**_

Castle & Associates

Chapter 1

_The Japs had beaten off the last attack less than half an hour ago. In the aftermath of that attack there was no time for Gunnery Sergeant Derrick Storm to rest no matter how much his tired body screamed for it. For him there was work to do, for him there were orders to carry out. At the moment he was hunkered down behind the protection of a fallen tree looking back to the other marines pressed against the side of the hill they had been crawling up. They were all looking to him._

_All around them the noise of battle continued, the whine of incoming shells and then moments later the inevitable explosions, the rapid chatter of machine guns mixed with the crack and fizz of bullets flying all over the place. Above in the air dark blue Marine Corps Corsairs dipped down on strafing runs before soaring skywards to relative safety. There were the screams of wounded men and the more urgent screams for corps-men. It was the familiar dance of battle. One that Gunny Storm knew all too well._

_Gunny Sergeant Storm pushed his battered tin helmet up higher on his head and surveyed the men of his squad. They all seemed so young but battle had hardened them and had aged them beyond their years. He had lost four men from the squad in the last attack, two dead and two wounded. The wounded men had been badly shot up and would probably not survive the trip to the battalion aid post. There was no time to mourn the losses. There was never time to mourn for lost men in the thick of battle. He was down to eight men and there was little chance of getting replacements for the casualties sent up. He knew that and so did his marines._

_Some one had said that taking Okinawa would not take long, that the Japs were on the run. Who ever said that wasn't a true Marine, had never faced the Japs. Had never fought them from one end of the Pacific to the other. Gunny Sergeant Storm knew how hard the Japs fought. He had been fighting them ever since his boots had landed on Guadalcanal in what seemed a lifetime ago. They were fanatical when it came to defending their ground, it didn't matter if it was some godforsaken coral island or a part of their home island chain. The bastards just kept on coming preferring to die rather than surrender, even the civilians defended their land with a fanaticism that had shocked the marines. That was something that Storm had never had encountered before. The civilians as well as those in uniform fought to the death._

_His orders were to reach the summit of the hill and take out the cave where the Japs had holed up and had a commanding view of the surrounding area and were spraying machine gun and mortar fire on attacking marines. It was not a major blockage but it was significant enough to hamper the Marines from pushing onwards. Storm's orders had come directly from regiment's CO. Take the hill._

_Simple as that. Short and sweet. Take the hill. Storm would have liked some air support but he knew that he would not get it. The flying leathernecks had other targets to take care of, other Marines were in dire need of close air support. No,it was just him and his men who had to take care of the job._

_Storm looked at his men for a couple of minutes then motioned to Axelman who was nearest him. He watched as the man crawled up to him._

"_Have Miller and Rayburn come up here with their rifle grenades. I want three men to take the right and three men on the left. We move when the first grenade goes off, understood?"_

"_Got it Gunny." Axelman replied in his Mid Western twang._

_Storm reached for his water canteen and took a big sip of the warm metallic water. He would have liked to have poured some of the water over his head to cool himself down but he did not. He stopped the canteen and returned it to his belt. He checked the ammunition clip of his Tommy gun and found that there were only a couple of bullets remaining. He shoved the near empty clip into a pocket and put in a fresh clip. He cocked the Tommy gun. _

_Miller and Rayburn reached him._

"_I want you two to put your grenades as close to the cave entrance as possible, can you do that?"_

"_Sure thing, Gunny." Rayburn drawled. Miller grinned as he nodded his head._

"_Good boys." Storm said. "Put in as many as you can."_

_Storm looked to the other men and held up his hand indicating that they would launch the attack in five minutes. He was pleased to see all the men checking their weapons. All but Axelman were replacements since they had landed on Okinawa. The fighting had been savage with the Jap defenders suicidally fanatical in trying to push back the invading Marines. Storm did not need to read the casualty figures to know what a toll it had taken on the liberators. He merely had to look at the men he commanded to know how many he had lost and how many he would lose before the island was in their hands._

_Within minutes they were all ready to go._

_Storm checked his watch. He could feel his heart start to beat rapidly like it always did before the start of any attack. This was the way it was ever since he had landed on Guadalcanal. He took a deep calming breath and looked to Miller and Rayburn. Slowly he rose from his crouch and brought up his Tommy gun resting it on the tree trunk._

"_Let's give these bastards a true 1st Marines greeting." He called out._

_Miller and Rayburn rose up and pointed their rifle grenades in the direction of the summit and fired simultaneously. They ducked down as a hail of machine gun fire erupted from above. Moments later two explosions came._

"_Let's go!" Storm shouted as he started firing his Tommy gun... _

Castle paused in his typing and pulled out the sheet of paper from the typewriter. He started reading what he had just written. He had read only the first paragraph when he lowered the sheet and his mind drifted back to that time on Okinawa. In his mind he pictured once again what really happened as the attack was launched. Absently his hand rubbed his left thigh where a piece of shrapnel had hit him.

"Castle."

Castle continued to stare into the distance and did not hear his name being called. He was lost in that battle.

"Hey, Writer Boy!"

Castle jerked his head around and found Lanie Parish standing by the door. The petite dark skinned woman had her arms folded across her chest and did not look all that impressed with his day dreaming.

"We have a customer."

"They are called, clients Lanie, not customers." Castle corrected her. He set the page beside the typewriter. He would re read the page later, make whatever corrections were needed and then have Lanie type it up again.

"Whatever they're called, there's one waiting to see you now." Lanie nodded in the direction of the outer office.

Castle let out a sigh. At the moment he did not need a new client. What he needed was to finish the book he was writing. His publisher was screaming for it and had been on his back almost on a daily basis. The book needed to be finished and soon. All ready he was several weeks behind and he still had another four or five chapters to go.

What he had not told his publisher or anyone else for that matter was that he had grown tired writing about the exploits of Sergeant Derrick Storm. Despite the enormous success of the first five Sergeant Storm USMC books Castle hated having to relive those battles on the islands in the South Pacific, it pained him to see the parade of faces of all those comrades who had fallen on some godforsaken coral island or some hellish jungle. He hated to remember the images of the bodies of dead marines stacked like cordwood on the beaches. He hated the nightmares that came whenever he wrote these books.

He had written the first Sergeant Storm book when he and his comrades of the 1st Marines were sent to Melbourne Australia to rest and refit after Guadalcanal. He had picked up the pen one day when he had nothing better to do. The story came so quickly and easily, the scenes of battle still vivid in his mind. It was part therapy and part documentary and part an outlet of the numerous ideas that had been swimming around in his head. He sent off the manuscript to his mother who passed it on to his publishers. The book was an instant hit, and more was demanded.

It was only during the third book that he came to realise that writing these books took more out of him than he was willing to admit. He longed to go back to writing crime fiction novels like he used to do before the war.

"Castle, are you with us?" Lanie demanded.

Castle looked over to Lanie and gave her a small smile.

He pushed away from the small writing table where he had been typing the next chapter of his latest Sergeant Derrick Storm novel. He rose from the chair and took his jacket from the stand behind his desk and put it on but left it unbuttoned and then sat down behind his desk. He gave Lanie a nod to send in the new client.

Lanie turned and left only to return a moment later with the new client.

"Mr Martin Armstrong." She announced.

Castle could not help but notice that Armstrong barely acknowledged Lanie as he entered the office. He rose from behind his desk putting on a smile of greeting that he reserved for a prospective client and held out his hand. He was greeted with a limp handshake. Castle motioned Armstrong to the empty chair before sitting down.

Armstrong remained standing as he took in the office he had just walked into and from the look on his face what he had found did not come up to his expectations. He tried not to sneer at what he saw.

The office was spartan with a few framed photographs adorning one wall. Two were group photographs of Castle's marine unit. One taken on the first day he had joined the 1st Marines and the other was taken day before the the regiment was sent into Okinawa. A careful study of the two photographs would reveal that not too many of the people in the first photograph were there in the second. A silent testament to the cost of the war. There was also a framed picture of the logo of the 1st Marine Regiment with the regimental motto underneath. Beside the regimental logo were a row of combat ribbons and decorations that had been mounted and framed. A four drawer wooden filing cabinet stood in the corner. On the other side of the office in the corner was another four drawer wooden filing cabinet. Beside that filing cabinet was a low cabinet with a fan sitting atop it which was switched on and providing a small cooling breeze. On the wall above the fan was another framed photograph showing Marines raising the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima. In the space between the two windows behind Castle's desk were two posters of the old Broadway shows, Pal Joey and By Jupiter. The floor of the office was bare of carpet and the wooden floorboards were in need of sanding and a polishing.

Armstrong was of average height and build with black hair that had been slicked back with pomade, his slightly rounded face had that look of having been recently barbered. He was dressed in a dark blue hand tailored suit that spoke of money. The shirt was pale blue and silk and just like the suit was hand tailored. A navy blue silk tie completed the ensemble. His shoes were polished to a mirror finish. Above the pocket of the jacket where a silk handkerchief sprouted he sported two campaign ribbons, the American Campaign medal and the European Campaign medal. To Castle those ribbons looked out of place on a business suit but it told him that the man had served in some re echelon posting and wanted the world to know that he had done his bit during the war. No doubt he had held some officer's rank. He pegged him as some junior officer.

Armstrong focused his attention to the pictures on the wall and in particular to the campaign and combat decorations. A look of envy flickered across his face. After some moments he finally sat down and removed his hat placing it in his lap.

"What can I do for you, Mr Armstrong?" Castle inquired with a smile.

Armstrong glanced in the direction of the combat decorations.

"You were in the Marines?" Armstrong asked.

Castle nodded his head. "1st Marines." He supplied.

"See much action?"

"A bit." Castle said, shrugging his shoulders. "Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, Okinawa."

A look of wide eyed surprise appeared on Armstrong's face.

"Got yourself a few ribbons there."

Castle nodded his head.

Armstrong pointed to the Iwo Jima photograph.

"Were you on Iwo Jima?"

"I missed that particular party."

"Oh, why's that?"

"Recovering from combat wounds."

"Oh, I see."

Suddenly Armstrong's face lit up.

"Are you Castle the writer of the Sergeant Storm books?"

"One and the same." Castle smiled.

"Hey, I love those books." Armstrong said excitedly. "They're great, the combat scenes are so realistic."

Castle was used to meeting people who were excited in telling him how much they loved his books and ask him questions. Most of the questions came from people who had never been near a battlefield and wanted to know what it was really like. Castle had stock standard replies to those questions. They were benign answers which skirted over the real gory details. They did not need to know how bad it could get but his books did give some glimpse into what it was like. Combat veterans had no need to ask such questions they had been there and done that in all its graphic horror. Most of the time Castle was happy to meet a fan and even take the time to answer any questions they may have. Today was not one of those days. The smile on his face did not reach his eyes. He decided to change the subject.

"So Mr Armstrong, what can I do for you?"

The sharpness of Castle's tone had Armstrong looking directly at the private investigator. His face hardened a little as he fixed Castle with a hard look.

"I need the use of your services, Mr Castle." Armstrong said crisply.

"What exactly is the nature of your need, Mr Armstrong?"

Armstrong's confident outlook faltered a little. He looked over his shoulder to the door which had been closed by Lanie as she had left and then looked back to Castle.

"I don't know how to say this, Mr Castle." Armstrong said. "It is embarrassing."

Castle leaned back in his chair and affected a look of world weariness.

"I can assure you Mr Armstrong, there is nothing you can tell me that I have not heard before."

Armstrong cast his eyes to his hat sitting in his lap both of his hands gripped the brim tightly. Castle watched and waited. After some moments of awkward silence Armstrong lifted his gaze to the private investigator.

"I think my wife is having an affair."

Castle's suspicions had been confirmed. He almost nodded his head but remained motionless watching the man sitting in the chair opposite. In the short time he had opened the detective agency there had been a parade of men walk in to his office who believed that their spouses were having affairs and wanting him to get the evidence. He had taken up the cases only to find out of all of the cases he'd investigated there were only less than a handful of occasions where the spouses were indeed conducting affairs.

It was a fact of life that the war had changed a lot of things. With the menfolk fighting in Europe or the Pacific the women who had remained at home had taken up important war work. They flocked to the factories to help produce the war materiel for the fighting men, everything from bullets, artillery shells right up to fighters and bombers to aircraft carriers and everything else in between. For many of these women this new found freedom was a liberating experience. When the war ended and the men came home countless thousands of women were more than happy to return to the life they had known before the war. There were others who found they liked the freedom they had discovered and did not want to return to what they had before the war. Many of the men folk could not understand it. Many of the men folk did not like it. Many men thought that their spouses were having affairs.

"How do you know she's having an affair?" Castle asked.

"I just know!" Armstrong shouted.

"Okay." Castle said in an even tone.

For the next few minutes Castle asked questions that provided him with information on Armstrong's wife, Susanna. It was a very familiar story, one that Castle had heard countless times before. Theirs had been a wartime marriage. Armstrong had met Susanna at some party in early 1943 just after he had graduated from Officer Candidate School and was awaiting his first posting. Susanna Armstrong had been a part time model and actress who had attended the party with a girlfriend. They had fallen in love and less than a month later had gotten married. Armstrong's family disapproved of the marriage but the uncertainty of wartime was enough for Martin Armstrong to ignore his family's wishes. Not long after they got married Armstrong was posted to Washington and then later on to SHEAF head quarters in London where his expertise in shipping was put to good use for the coming invasion of Europe. Armstrong's family owned a shipping line.

"So will you take the case?" Armstrong asked after he had finished briefing the private investigator.

Castle glanced in the direction of his old Remington typewriter. His latest book needed to be finished and taking up a new case would delay him completing the book. He was catching all kinds of hell from his publisher and any more delays would mean more of that.

"I don't care how much it costs, Mr Castle." Armstrong added. "Money is no object do you understand?"

"I think I get the picture." Castle replied.

"I just want you to get the proof."

Castle nodded his head.

"You will take the case?" Armstrong asked hopefully.

Castle glanced briefly in the direction of the typewriter. The book would have to wait he decided. He rose to his feet and came around his desk. Armstrong rose form his seat.

"I will take the case." Castle informed him.

Before leaving the office Armstrong passed over to Castle a small photograph of his wife. After showing Armstrong out Castle returned to his desk and sat down. He studied the photograph of Mrs Susanna Armstrong. He glanced up to see Lanie filling the doorway.

"You took the case?"

"Yeah."

"Gina aint gonna be pleased about that, Writer Boy."

At the mention of his ex-wife and publisher Castle gave Lanie one of his boyish grins.

"I survived nearly four years fighting the Japs, how bad could she be?"

"You're the one that married and then divorced her, you tell me?" Lanie retorted.

"I think I would prefer to face a Jap Banzai attack." Castle said soberly.

"Uh-huh." Lanie raised an admonishing eyebrow in his direction before she moved off.

XXXXX

_**Well dear reader what do you think of this chapter? I truly would love to know what you think.**_

_**Con **_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was the kind of summer day that New York was known for. Hot and humid with not a cloud in the sky. The concrete canyons of Manhattan were turned into vast furnaces under the blazing sun. Eggs could have been cooked on the sidewalks along with bacon rashers for good measure. Men in business suits and brief cases with hats pulled low to shade their eyes from the glare of the sun walked with an urgency only they understood, women in bright summer dresses wearing wide brimmed hats strolled at a more sedate pace, construction workers in overalls and hard hats carrying their lunch pails heading to nearby construction sites. Fresh faced soldiers and sailors in crisp uniforms who were too young for the war, spending the remaining hours of their leave in the arms of girls they had only just met before heading to the docks to be shipped out to places they had only read about. The people of this great metropolis went about their business quickly or sought out places where some respite would be found from the heat, barely giving him a second look.

Castle did not mind, he liked to observe people. He liked observing the way they walked or the way they interacted with other people. Often times he observed something unique that he would incorporate it into one of the characters in his stories. Sometimes he would wonder where this person was going or that person. Sometimes to help pass the time of the day he would create little stories in his head as he observed the people of his city. Today he was not composing little stories of the passing people.

Taxi cabs pulled up to the kerb disgorging their passengers and picking up new ones. Automobiles and buses moved slowly along the street their horns and engines providing a mechanical symphony. The sonorous roar of jack hammers from construction sites added to the cacophony of noise.

Hot and humid was something Castle was well used to and what the Big Apple could offer on this particular day was nothing compared to some of the conditions he had endured in the jungles and islands in the Pacific. He pushed away those thoughts of a time not so long ago as he stood on the side walk. He was regretting having worn the dark blue suit today. He could feel the sweat clinging to his shirt. He loosened his tie a little more and undid the top button of his shirt. He should have worn the light grey suit he mused to himself. He lifted the fedora from his head and ran the back of his hand across his forehead wiping the beads of sweat that had formed there. He returned the hat to his head setting it at a rakish angle.

A glance at his watch told him that it was a little after 2 o'clock. It had been an exhausting day so far, one of a hurriedly drunk cup of hot coffee in a small diner for breakfast and managing to scald himself in the process, of wandering through Maceys and Bloomingdales trying to look interested in the latest women's fashions direct from Paris, in shoe shops explaining to shop girls who accosted him that he was browsing for a gift for a non existent wife and receiving looks of disbelief from the shop girls, of lunch consisting of a hot dog bought from a street vendor while standing close by to a deli, of more than a few uncomfortable minutes spent in a lingerie store inspecting intimate women's apparel and hurriedly explaining to an understanding shop assistant that he was looking to buy a birthday present for his girlfriend and finding but not purchasing several items that he knew would make welcome presents, and a few more department stores after that.

Basically wearing out a lot of shoe leather.

At the moment he was standing next to a newspaper stand not far from a well known jewellery store trying not to look too conspicuous. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a dime which he handed over to the newspaper seller and accepted a copy of the New York Ledger. The newspaper seller reached over to hand him the change but Castle waved the coins away. The newspaper seller smiled and nodded his head in thanks.

Castle unfolded the newspaper and slowly perused it, resisting the urge to go to page six and see whether his name was mentioned or to see if there was a photograph of himself emerging from the latest Broadway show opening. He knew there wouldn't be but the urge to immediately turn to page was strong There had been a time when he could not help but be excited to find his name on page six of the Ledger. There used to be a time when he would break out into a big smile on seeing a picture of himself with some young and beautiful actress draped on his arm as they dined at some fancy restaurant or at a club. That excitement had faded a long time ago. These days he found it tiresome. These days he avoided such things.

His eyes were constantly glancing in the direction of the granite walls and small glass windows of the jewellery shop. Watching who went in and who walked out.

He could have gone into the store but he chose not to. He was reasonably well known by the shop assistants in there and being a semi regular customer he did not want to attract attention or fuss that his appearance in there would cause. So he chose to remain outside in the heat trying to read the newspaper.

So far all this traipsing around the streets and stores had produced nothing, Castle thought to himself. Well, that was not exactly totally true. His notebook contained hurriedly scribbled notes, showing the time and places Susanna Armstrong had visited. Susanna Armstrong was oblivious to his tailing of her. That was the way he wanted to keep it.

Susana was aged in her late twenties a slightly tall willowy figure with blonde hair styled in the latest fashion that had come out of Hollywood, with a face and figure that would have found her a fair bit of modelling work not to mention acting work. Today she was dressed in a light blue summer dress with a matching hat.

Castle glanced up from the newspaper he was trying to read and he stiffened when he saw Susanna Armstrong emerge from the jewellery store. What sparked his interest was that she was with a man. That man was not Martin Armstrong. The man was dressed in a grey suit that was neither expensive nor cheap, he had a swarthy complexion and a build that was more muscle than fat. He was around six foot tall and he could have been an athlete during his time at school. The man's grey hat was set back and he had a big smile on his face. He looked to be at least ten years older than Susanna Armstrong. The man's smile grew as he looped his arm through Susanna's as they set off down the street.

Castle slowly folded up the newspaper and tucked it under his arm. He waited until they walked about thirty yards before he started following them. There were enough people between him and the couple he was following to provide him enough cover.

Ten minutes later he watched as the couple walked into the lobby of a hotel. Castle followed them in but hung back. The lobby of the hotel was styled in Art Deco with the colours predominately brown and cream with a marble floor. Castle found a leather armchair and sat down opening up his paper. He had a good and clear view of the front desk. His eyes were on the couple.

Susanna and her companion walked to the front desk. The smiling clerk reached over and took a key and handed it to the man.

"Rick, what are you doing here?"

Castle looked up to find the hotel detective standing over him. Castle smiled as he got up.

"Hi Fred."

Fred Norris had once been a NYPD detective but had been shot on the job while chasing down a suspect and had been forced to retire from the force on a disability. A disability pension was not the best to try and survive on so Fred had gotten the job as the house detective for this hotel. Norris was in his late fifties dressed in a business suit that was struggling to contain his ever expanding girth. It did not help that there was a top class chef in the hotel's kitchen. Castle had known Fred for around ten years.

Norris had been passing on titbits of information, stories about things that happened day to day in the hotel, some humorous, some embarrassing, some racy, some shocking, some just plain sad, which Castle used in his books.

"You working, Rick?"

Castle nodded his head as the two men shook hands. Castle motioned in the direction of the front desk. Fred looked in that direction.

"The man?" He asked.

"No, the blonde."

Fred whistled and nodded his head appreciatively. He turned back to Castle and grinned.

"Not a bad looking broad."

"What can you tell me about the guy?"

"Dunno, Rick." Fred said.

Fred glanced over to the front desk again inspecting the woman, appraising her and liking what he saw. Slowly he turned back to Castle. He saw the look on Castle's face.

"But I can find out for you."

"I'd be obliged, Fred."

Fred nodded his head.

Castle sat back down and opened up his newspaper as Fred moved off. Susanna and her companion had left the front desk and were walking to the bank of elevators to the left of the front desk. The man had his arm around Susanna's waist which she did not mind in fact she welcomed it. She was leaning into him as she smiled and whispered in his ear. There was something familiar and intimate in the way she did it and Castle could not help but think that Susanna had known her companion for more than a little while. When they disappeared into an elevator Castle turned his attention to his newspaper and scanned the baseball scores. It was only recently that he had taken more interest in baseball.

Ten minutes later a bellhop approached Castle.

"Mr Castle?"

"Yes." Castle looked up from his newspaper.

"Mr Norris will see you in his office, sir."

"Thanks."

The bellhop was about to escort Castle to Norris's office but Castle waved the boy off telling him he knew where the office was and sent the boy on his way with a dollar tip. The bellhop's face lit up with delight on seeing the size of the tip he had been given. He smiled and saluted before he skipped away.

Fred Norris' office was a broom cupboard sized room located behind the front desk. The house detective was seated at his desk and he seemed to fill the room. The desk seemed too small for him. There were newspapers and other papers strewn all over the place. There were a couple of empty coffee cups being used as paperweights. Castle recalled that Fred was never the neatest of people. The walls of the office were decorated with framed photographs of Fred with some of the hotel's more famous guests. There was also a framed commendation from the New York Police Department which held pride of place on the wall behind Fred's desk. Fred looked up when Castle opened the door and peered in.

"The guy's name is Sam Pettolino." Norris informed him. "He's in room five fifteen."

"Thanks Fred." Castle replied. "Anything else?"

"He's a photographer." Norris added.

Castle nodded his head.

"The name mean anything to you?"

Castle shook his head.

"It rings a bell with me for some reason."

"Well if something pops, you'll let me know?"

"Sure thing, Castle."

Castle waved to Fred and departed from the man's office. He returned to the lobby and to the armchair he had been sitting in. He pulled out his note book and made some notes before putting the note book away. He then unfolded the newspaper opened it and started to read it. He decided to wait and see when Susanna Armstrong would reappear. He had a feeling she would not be making an appearance for an hour or so.

XXXXX

_**This chapter is a little short, I know but your thoughts would be appreciated.**_

_**A Happy New Year to you all.**_

_**Con **_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was around four-thirty when Castle returned to his office to find Lanie sitting at her desk slowly flipping through a fashion magazine. She looked up from the magazine.

"You're back." Lanie remarked.

"Yeah."

Castle started moving to his office when he paused and backed up to Lanie's desk.

"Shouldn't you be studying for your exams?" Castle motioned to the stack of medical books sitting to one side of Lanie's desk.

Lanie closed the magazine and glanced at the medical books.

"Taking a break from my studies."

"But your exams are only a couple of days away. You should be studying."

"Hey, what are you my father?" Lanie protested.

"No." Castle said carefully. "I'm thinking you should not waste the opportunity."

"Listen Writer Boy I have been boning up for the exams every chance I can get but I need to take a break okay?" Lanie waved a finger in Castle's direction.

Castle knew how hard Lanie had been studying for her medical exams. He knew that passing them meant more to her than she was letting on. Her nursing background had helped and put her ahead of the pack but still he knew that passing the medical board exams was not going to be easy. He gave her all the time off she needed to attend classes but still paid her for a full week's work. He gave her time off to work at the hospital. It never failed to amaze him how she could balance her studies as well as working for him. Secretly no one would be more happy than him to see her pass the exams and become a fully fledged doctor.

"Okay." He replied, not wanting to antagonise her. Getting on Lanie's wrong side was not to be recommended.

Castle moved into his office, removed his hat and jacket putting them on the stand behind his desk. He moved across and switched on the fan. He stood in front of it for a moment before he walked to his desk and slumped in his chair.

Lanie strolled into the office and walked up to his desk. He glanced up at her.

"So how did it go with Mrs Armstrong today?" Lanie inquired. She was always curious about his cases.

"Restaurants, department stores, jewellery stores..." Castle sighed as he waved his hand in an off hand manner. His other hand was loosening his tie even more.

"So nothing of interest then?"

Castle glanced at her and smiled. "I didn't say that."

That remark caught Lanie's interest. She arched an eyebrow in Castle's direction.

"Spill." She ordered.

"She met a man who wasn't Mr Armstrong."

"Did she now?"

Castle nodded his head.

"And?" Lanie prompted.

"There was a visit to a hotel."

"Oooh."

"Oooh, indeed."

"And?"

"That's it." Castle said simply.

Lanie frowned at Castle. "You know I will read it in the report you write up?"

"Yeah."

"So you might as well tell me."

"You'll just have to wait to read today's report."

Castle shot her a quick grin before he scurried across to the typewriter. He rolled in a fresh sheet of paper. Lanie had not moved from where she was standing.

"You can head out, Lanie." Castle announced as he waved at the typewriter. "I'm going to write up today's report, finish the book chapter and then head out myself."

"All right then." Lanie said. She turned and headed for the door. "But don't be late."

"Late? Late for what?"

Lanie stopped and turned to look back at Castle. She tilted her head as she gave him an admonishing look.

Castle smiled. "I wont forget."

"You better not Writer Boy or she'll kill you."

"No she wont, she loves me."

"She'll still kill you."

Castle chuckled but he sobered up once Lanie had closed the door to the office.

He reached for his note book and opened to the day's notes. After consulting the notes quickly he commenced typing. It did not take him long to fill the page. He had resisted the urge as he was typing to embellish the report by including descriptions of the buildings visited or the streets he had walked through. The writer in him wanted to but the private investigator won out and he kept the report simple and succinct. Just the facts, the times and places Susanna Armstrong had visited. He also included her meeting with the man named Sam Pettolino and where their meeting had taken place and then where they had gone afterwards.

He pulled the page out of the typewriter and read it over. He nodded his head satisfied that the report contained just the facts. Getting up he walked over to the filing cabinet in the corner. Pulling open the top drawer he fished out the Armstrong file. He opened the file and placed the report he had just typed up on top. He closed the file and returned it to the right place in the drawer.

He walked back to the typewriter and sat down. He turned his attention to the chapter he had started writing. He picked up the typed sheets and read over them. Once more his mind was transported to an island in the Pacific. After reading the completed pages he put a fresh sheet into the typewriter. He stared at the blank white sheet for a minute or two gathering his thoughts and then started typing. His fingers danced quickly over the keys as he pounded out the latest chapter of the adventures of Sergeant Storm.

XXX

Castle stepped out of the elevator that deposited him on his floor. He turned and walked down the corridor to the front door to his corner loft apartment. A glance at his watch told him it was after nine in the evening. He should have been home a couple of hours ago. He had became so engrossed with the book that he had lost track of time.

Opening the front door he was greeted by the sounds of Frank Sinatra playing on the record player. It brought a smile to his face as he stood in the doorway listening to the song, the old Irving Berlin song, _Always. _He could not claim to be a big fan of Sinatra but the guy had a good voice and he could sing and he did a good version of this song. What he could not understand was why the bobbysoxer's would swoon and scream whenever he took to the stage. That was something that was beyond his comprehension. Maybe he was just getting old, he wondered.

After a minute or two Castle entered and closed the door. He removed his hat and tossed it with a flick of his wrist in the direction of the hat wrack on the wall, not bothering to see if the hat snagged one of the hooks or not but knowing that it would. After all he had spent countless hours just practising the manoeuvre until he had it perfected. He continued walking in the direction of the living room.

"Dad what are you doing here?" Alexis demanded as she popped her head above the couch. A look of surprise was etched on her face. Another head popped up from the couch and he saw that it was her best friend Paige.

"Umm...I live here, sweetheart." Castle replied. "Hello Paige."

"Hello Mr Castle." Paige said.

"No, I mean what are you doing here now?"

"Where should I be?" A confused look appeared on Castle's face.

"The...club...?" Alexis prompted him.

Castle's eyes widened with alarm as he suddenly remembered where he had to be. A particularly salty curse was on the tip of his tongue but he caught it just in time before he assaulted the delicate ears of the two teenagers.

"Oh God, she's going to kill me." Castle muttered.

He turned on his heels and started for the door. He skidded to a halt as he pulled up suddenly and turned back to his daughter.

"Is Grams here?" He asked.

"Yes Dad." Alexis informed him. "She's in her room, learning lines but we're fine."

"Oh, okay...good." He turned and rushed for the door, grabbing his hat from the hat wrack on the way. He stopped at the front door turned around and ran back to the living room.

"Have you girls had dinner?" He asked anxiously.

"Yes, dad."

"You don't need anything?"

"No dad."

"Okay." Castle grinned. He turned and ran to the door only to stop and rush back.

"Paige you don't need a ride home?"

"Dad I told you that Paige was staying over." Alexis reminded him.

"Yeah, right, right."

"We're going to the Museum of Natural History tomorrow, remember?"

"Yes...yes... I remember." Castle said hurriedly.

"Dad?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Go, you're wasting time."

"Right...right." Castle turned on his heels and dashed for the door.

"See you later pumpkin. Love you." He called out as he reached the front door. "Oh and don't wait up for me."

Alexis could only smile and shake her head at the departing figure of her father. Not for the first time did she have pause to reflect on how much he had changed in the past few months. The father that she knew and loved was slowly making a comeback. She remembered the stranger who had returned from the war wounded and sullen, hardly talkative, certainly never talking about his time in the Pacific. Not talking much at all. The war had changed him to the point where she hardly recognised him. It was like he was a total stranger. That had changed noticeably over the past few months and nothing could make her happier than to see the father she knew and loved, with all his loveable goofiness, having returned.

Castle heard the two teenager's laughter as he closed the door and rushed to the elevator. He did not wait for the elevator to arrive so he took the stairs, flying down them. He knew he should take the stairs a little slower but right now he was late and was going to risk falling down and breaking his neck.

Down on the street he frantically waved down a cab and jumped into the back seat.

"Where to mac?" The cab driver inquired.

"The Blue Cricket." Castle said in between trying to catch his breath. "And step on it."

"You'll get there when you get there, mac."

"There's a twenty dollar tip in it if you get me there as fast as you can."

"Why didn't you say so, mac?" The driver replied. "Hold on."

Castle was flung into the back seat as the drive planted his foot on the gas pedal. The taxi sped down the street. He had to grab hold of something to stop himself from being flung about all over the back seat as the driver took a sharp turn. Castle silently prayed that he would arrive at the club in one piece and with few bruises as possible.

XXX

The Blue Cricket was in the theatre district located in a basement venue that catered mainly to a big band and jazz crowd. Though one night a week blues bands performed. While not as well known or popular as some of the more bigger night clubs there still was a line of people waiting to get in each night.

The cab pulled up at the front entrance and Castle jumped out after having paid the driver and including the promised generous tip. The man smiled and nodded his head as he drove off. Castle took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he turned and approached the top of the stairs that led down to the club. The doorman standing guard at the top of the stairs was a tall black man dressed in a tuxedo that seemed one size too small for him. He smiled at Castle's approach.

"Evening, Mr Castle."

"How you doing, Mitch?" Castle said with a smile.

"Doin' fine, Mr Castle." Mitch replied. His smile grew. "You're late, you know?"

"Oh I know."

Castle took the stairs at a more sedate pace. There was no point in rushing only to trip and fall breaking his neck at the last minute, he figured. Reaching the bottom of the stairs the door to the club was opened by another doorman. Castle nodded to the man as he walked through. The lobby of the club was decorated all in red velvet with black adding contrast. There were a few potted plants strategically placed to add a dash of a different colour. A familiar song greeted him and the familiar voice. He felt guilty for being late and he only hoped that she would forgive him.

Castle walked over to the hat check desk and smiled at the young woman on duty at the desk. She returned the smile.

"Good evening Mr Castle." She said. "You're late."

"I expect so, Muriel." Castle handed over his hat and moved towards the entrance to the main room.

The room was like the front lobby all red and black in colour with many two seat tables with lamps on them arrayed in a semi circles in front of the of the raised stage lending an intimate air to the ambience. Waitresses moved about the tables delivering drinks or meals to the customers all of whom were focused in the direction of the stage.

Castle made his way to the booth near and to the right of the stage where Lanie and her boyfriend Javier Esposito were all ready seated and enjoying the show. Lanie had dolled herself up for an evening out. Esposito was dressed in a new dark blue Zoot suit with a matching wide brimmed hat. Castle nodded to them as he remained standing.

"You're late Writer Boy." Lanie remarked.

Castle did not respond. His gaze was transfixed on the woman standing in the spotlight on the stage singing into an oversized microphone. She was tall with long straight light brown hair and dressed in a long blue silk dress cut low at the front and seemed to mould to every curve in her body. Castle could not help but smile as he gazed at her.

_Days may not be fair Always _

_With a love that's true Always. _

_When the things you've planned_

_Need a helping hand,_

_I will understand Always._

Kate Beckett was looking to her right of the stage she could just make out the audience in the shadows. She felt someone's intense gaze on her. She knew who it was. Slowly she turned her head in Castle's direction and found him standing there. A smile blossomed across her face as continued singing.

_Days may not be fair Always,_

_That's when I'll be there Always._

_Not for just an hour,_

_Not for just a day,_

_Not for just a year_

_But Always._

In that moment the rest of the audience in the room faded from her view, there was only one man she was singing to. As the music faded to a close the room erupted in loud applause. Castle beamed brightly as he clapped eagerly.

"I think they should get a room." Esposito whispered in Lanie's ear.

"You hush now and leave them be." Lanie retorted unable to hide her smile.

"Me leave them be?" Esposito raised his eyebrows. "Chica, you're the one always saying about those two."

Lanie shot her boyfriend a glare that more than hinted that if he pursued this line he would land in deep trouble. Esposito wisely took the hint.

When the applause died down Castle sat down at the booth and smiled at his two friends.

"What kept you Writer Boy?" Lanie demanded.

"I got caught up with the book." Castle said sheepishly.

Lanie frowned and shook her head but said nothing. She had worked for him long enough to know that when he was writing he became so absorbed that he forgot about everything else. Castle shrugged his shoulders in apology and then looked over to the stage where Kate had remained after the applause had finished. She introduced the house band and then made her exit from the stage.

A waitress brought over a round of drinks to their table. Castle nodded his thanks to the girl. He waited until she had departed before he turned to look at Esposito.

"Are you available for a job, Javier?" Castle asked.

"Sure Bro." Esposito took a pull from his bottle of beer. He nodded at Castle. "What you need?"

Castle told him about Sam Pettolino and that he wanted as much information as Esposito could dig up on the man. He told Esposito where Pettolino could be found.

"Is this the man who was not Mr Armstrong that Susanna met up with?" Lanie inquired.

Castle nodded his head.

"Consider it done, Bro."

"Thanks I appreciate it."

Esposito was a born and bred New Yorker and proud of it. Of Hispanic heritage he was of average height with a solid build. He had spent the war in the navy as a member of the Sea Patrol. The navy in its infinite wisdom had posted him to San Diego where the fiercest action he had seen was breaking up bar brawls on Saturday nights, before posting him to New Caledonia where again the most action he saw was rounding up drunken sailors fresh off destroyers, eager to spend the their liberty getting drunk and starting fights with other sailors or for a bit of variety taking on the locals. Near the end of the war he got posted to the Brooklyn Navy Yard which was fine by him. It was close to home where he could visit his parents. He could have stayed in the navy after the war but Esposito did not fancy the prospect of a career spent breaking up barfights so he left when his enlistment was up.

Esposito wanted nothing more than to join the New York Police Department. He had a couple of relatives in the NYPD and he too wanted to become a real cop but so far he had not been successful. He had not given up on that dream just yet but in the mean time he had to scrounge around for a living. Doing work for Castle brought in some good money.

Esposito and Castle had first met on New Caledonia where Castle was spending a few days on R&R. Castle had been walking along Rue Jules Ferry trying to find a bar that was less noisy and hectic where he could have a couple of quite beers before he turned in for the night. So far he had not been so lucky. He was passing a bar where a bar room fight had broken out and spilled into the street. SPs in their white helmets, neatly pressed uniforms and batons were trying to subdue the combatants. Castle stopped to watch the brawl checking to see if there were any fellow marines involved. He was thankful to see there were no marines.

Castle was about to turn around and walk back the way he came when he spotted a single SP had been isolated and surrounded by a group of four sailors. All four were bigger and meaner than the shorter SP and from the looks on their faces they meant to do the young man a great deal of harm. The SP who turned out to be Esposito, was managing to hold his own but that was not going to last. Castle could see that there was no way his comrades would get to him in time before the four brawlers pounced on him.

Castle hated to see uneven fights, and though the SPs were never the most popular of people in the entire navy, and against his better judgement he jumped in with fists swinging. Esposito was surprised to find a marine had jumped into a fight to assist him. With Castle's help Esposito made short work of the four sailors who lay on the ground bleeding and unconscious.

The next night Castle met up with Esposito at a bar which most of the off duty Shore Patrol members frequented. Esposito had insisted on buying Castle a drink for helping him out in the fight.

After the war they met up again.

Castle, Lanie and Esposito chatted for a few moments before Castle stopped talking as his attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere.

Her silk dress ran like a water colour in the rain as she approached. Her slinky figure moved with a feline grace. He had only eyes for her, the delightful sway of her hips as she took each step nearer to him, the quirk of her lips as they moved upwards heralding a smile that never failed to send a shiver of delight through out his body and make him catch his breath, the dazzling sparkle of her emerald eyes that promised him mystery and mischief in equal measure but was tinged with a suggestion of sadness.

Many times Castle had lost himself in those green pools, wanting nothing more than to drown in them forever.

Kate reached their table smiling a greeting to Lanie and Esposito. Castle started to rise to let her sit down but she placed a hand on his shoulder pushing him down and then sat down in his lap and draped her arm around his neck. He smiled up at her.

"Hello Rick." Kate said.

"Hello beautiful." He replied, his smile growing.

Kate leaned down and kissed him on the lips.

"Comfortable?"

Kate nodded her head. "Mmmm very." Kate grinned.

His arms entwined around her waist and he felt the cares of the world slowly ebb away. He looked up into her face and behind her smile he saw the tiredness.

"You missed my show, Rick." Kate informed him.

"I heard you sing our song." He replied.

Kate arched an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry, I got caught up..."

"The book?"

Castle nodded his head and looked genuinely apologetic. He really wanted to be here for her show from the moment she had told him about it. He enjoyed watching her sing. It was not often that Kate performed on stage but an act had pulled out at the last moment so she had to fill in. Her current job was managing the Blue Cricket and occasionally filling in on stage when acts pulled out.

"I think I can forgive you." Kate said and paused a beat. "This time."

Kate made herself more comfortable in his lap with exaggerated movement which had Castle's eyebrows rising upwards in surprise. She gave him an innocent looking smile before she reached out and helped herself to his drink.

"Hey get your own drink." Castle complained.

"I just did." Kate giggled.

Lanie had watched the exchange between Castle and Kate with a smile on her face. On hearing a familiar tune being played by the band she turned to Esposito.

"You promised me a night of dancing, Javi."

"You got it, Chica."

Esposito rose to his feet and took Lanie by the hand helping her to her feet. He lead her in the direction of the dance floor where other couples had gathered to dance.

"They make a cute couple." Kate observed.

"They do." Castle agreed.

They watched as Lanie and Esposito danced up a storm on the floor. Castle drew slow circles on Kate's lower back and he felt her relax a little more.

"Would you like to take me home, Mr Castle?" Kate said suddenly.

"I would be delighted to escort you home Miss Beckett." Castle smiled. "You're place or mine?"

Castle saw the glint in those emerald eyes and knew the answer to his question. His smile deepened.

"I'll just go and get my things." Kate said as she eased herself off Castle and got up.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be here until closing?" Castle asked.

Kate smiled at him. "It's okay, I know one of the owners, he lets me head out early."

Castle chuckled at her response and watched her as she headed to the office.

The owner in question was himself. Before the war he had invested some of his earnings from his books into the Blue Cricket. He owned a majority share in the club but preferred to remain a silent partner. Few people knew that he owned the Blue Cricket.

He finished his drink and got up and made his way to where Lanie and Esposito were dancing, telling them that he and Kate were leaving and they could order whatever they wanted and to put it on his tab.

Castle was standing on the pavement in front of the club when Kate joined him. She had put on a wrap. She looped her arm through his. Castle looked at her and smiled and it deepened when she returned his smile.

"You haven't eaten, have you?" He said.

Kate shook her head. It never ceased to amaze her how he could read her so easily like he did. It was spooky sometimes.

"Come on then, let's get you fed woman."

They started walking but Castle stopped when he spotted a photographer approaching them. He recognised the man, a regular from the Ledger. The photographer was raising the heavy looking camera ready to snap a picture of the famous author and his companion. Castle felt Kate's hold on his arm tighten.

"Hey, Harry not tonight man." Castle said, waving his arm at the photographer.

"Oh come on Mr Castle." Harry complained. "I need to get something, my editor is giving me hell, you know?"

"You will Harry but not tonight, okay."

"An exclusive?"

"Sure and soon." Castle promised.

"Okay." Harry the photographer smiled. He lowered his camera. "Have a good night folks."

Castle and Kate resumed walking.

"Thanks Rick." Kate whispered as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Castle would not have minded being photographed with Kate at his side. Being photographed was something he was used to and put it down as being a necessary evil, something that went the territory of being a famous author. Kate on the other hand valued her privacy and did not like having her picture splashed in the pages of the Ledger or the society pages of the other newspapers. Castle respected that and went out of his way to make sure that her picture stayed out of the newspapers or magazines. Sometimes it involved a lot of wheeling and dealing or a high price for which he was happy to pay. He had come to realise early on there was nothing he would not do for this woman walking beside him.

"So where do you want to go to eat?" Castle asked her.

"Anywhere is okay."

"How does Remys sound?"

Kate looked up at Castle and smiled.

"Sounds good, Rick."

XXXXX


	4. Chapter 4

_**My humblest apologies to one and all for the delay in posting the latest chapter of this story. A severe case of writer's block found me bereft of words. It lasted a little longer than I would have liked but thankfully and hopefully it is gone. So I present to you the latest chapter of this story. I hope you enjoy it. **_

Chapter 4

Castle and Kate entered Remys arm in arm. Remys was not a a greasy spoon nor was it a fancy upmarket restaurant. It was a diner run by a husband and wife who prided themselves on providing good food at reasonable prices. They also prided themselves on making some of the best burgers and fries in all of the city.

A polished wood panel dinner counter ran the length of one side where people sat on stools enjoying the cup of coffee or the burger they had ordered while they read the newspaper or some magazine. On the other side were a row of red leather booths. On the walls above the booths were framed black and white photographs depicting street scenes of New York.

Castle and Kate moved straight to their favourite booth that was located near the back. They settled down sitting next to each other. Castle removed his hat and set it aside. Kate moved closer until she was resting her head against his shoulder.

It was a little after ten in the evening the after theatre show crowd had yet to arrive. At the moment there were only a handful of the regulars in there.

A waitress came to their table and greeted them with a smile. She did not bother to produce her pencil and pad.

"Evening folks, the usual?" She asked. "Burger and fries?"

"And chocolate milkshakes, don't forget them Sarah." Castle grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Mr Castle." Sarah laughed as she left to get their regular order.

They had been coming into the place on a regular basis for the past six months. It had become their favourite place. More often than not they both ordered burgers and fries.

Castle reached out and took Kate's hand and stroked it with his thumb. Kate turned her head to look at Castle and gave him a small but tired smile. He returned the smile.

"Long day?" He inquired.

Kate closed her eyes and nodded her head.

"I spent all morning trying to find a replacement band for tonight but had no luck there so I had to do the show." Kate said. "And then in between rehearsals I had to find out what had happened to the supplies for the kitchen that had not arrived on time."

"Which I'm sure you did." Castle said.

"Which I did, eventually." Beckett agreed nodding her head.

Castle continued to smile gently at her but his eyes regarded her carefully. He could tell that there was something else bothering her. She had been unusually quiet on the walk to the diner. He thought about asking her directly but chose to wait for her to tell him. He had learned early on that she would clam up if she was pressed. He continued to lovingly stroke her hand.

Kate opened her eyes and looked at their hands for a moment enjoying the caress of his thumb over her hand. She lifted her eyes to look at him.

"And how was your day, Rick?" she inquired.

Castle shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh you know, same old, same old. Spent the day following around a cheating wife."

"Anything juicy to relate?"

Castle offered her shrug of his shoulders in response. That made Kate raise an eyebrow in his direction. Castle then told her about his day following Susanna Armstrong around the city and her meeting with the man called Sam Pettolino.

"So she knew him?" Kate ventured.

"That is what it looked like." Castle recalled the scene he had witnessed in the hotel lobby. "They were particularly intimate."

"Maybe she wanted him to take some new photos for her portfolio?" Kate suggested. "You did say she was a former actress and model?"

Castle nodded his head.

"So maybe she calls up an old friend who just happens to be a photographer."

Castle frowned a little.

"Maybe she is thinking of going back to acting or modelling?" Kate suggested.

"Why would she do that?" Castle questioned. "She is married to a rich man."

"Maybe her life with Martin Armstrong is not all wine and roses. Perhaps she is looking towards her future, returning to her previous life?" Kate added.

The small frown deepened on Castle's face. In all honesty he had not thought about that possibility. He gave her suggestion real thought. After all Martin Armstrong had said that his family were not happy that he had gone against their wishes and married Susanna. Perhaps the marriage was not a happy one. Perhaps Armstrong was looking for proof that his wife was cheating so that he could use it as evidence in any divorce proceedings. Perhaps Susanna knew if they split up she would get nothing from her husband and was looking towards her life post divorce. Castle nodded his head and smiled at her.

"It's a possibility, one that I did not consider." Castle said truthfully. "One worth looking into."

Kate smiled at him, pleased to have tossed out a theory he obviously had not thought of.

Castle liked talking to Kate about some of his cases she could always provide a perspective he had not thought about.

Sarah brought over their usual order, placing the food and shakes before them.

"Enjoy folks." Sarah said with her usual smile.

"Thank you Sarah." Castle smiled back.

Kate eased herself off Castle's shoulder and pulled her plate closer towards her. She picked up a fry and dipped it into the ketchup. Castle watched her as she popped the fry into her mouth and started chewing it. Sensing him watching her Kate slid her eyes in his direction. She picked up another fry from her plate and dipped that one into the ketchup and slowly opened her mouth and bit down on the fry. An amused look appeared on her face as she chewed slowly, her eyes focused on his reaction. His blue eyes had taken on a glazed look as he watched her.

"Eat your food, Rick." Kate prompted.

Castle realised with some embarrassment that he had been staring at her. He shook off the thoughts that had started to dance in his head as he watched Kate eating her fries in that less than innocent way. All of a sudden his throat had gone dry. He reached for his milkshake and took a big sip from the straw. He glanced at her and saw the amused look in her eyes. He turned his attention to his own plate of food and picked up his burger and took a big bite of it.

For a few minutes they ate in silence before Kate decided to break it.

"So how's your book going, Rick?" Kate inquired.

"I am sorry about tonight." Castle apologised. "I got caught in writing the chapter and lost all track of time."

Kate gave him a smile of understanding. She did not need another apology from him. He had all ready apologised for his lateness tonight. She also knew that when he was writing, he became all consumed with the task that he sometimes forgot about everything else. She had seen it for herself more than a few times. That was all right as long as he produced books that were worth reading. To date he had yet to produce a book that was not worth reading.

"So is it nearly finished?"

"A few more chapters to go and then it will be finished." Castle said after finishing the last of his burger. He had not realised how hungry he had been until he had bitten into his burger. The only thing he had eaten all day was that hotdog at lunch.

"Apart from editing and re-writing that is." He added.

"I look forward to reading it."

"You may not like the ending, though." Castle said in a low voice.

Kate caught Castle's tone of voice. She looked at him with a frown.

"Why wouldn't I like the ending?" She asked curiously.

"You'll have to wait until I've finished writing it." Castle replied cryptically.

Kate glared at him for several moments before she turned her attention to her food.

"You know, I'll find out sooner rather than later." She warned.

Castle let out a soft chuckle. "I'm very well aware of your interrogation techniques."

Kate glanced up and saw him grinning at her, his eyebrows rising up and down in what she could only describe in a suggestive manner. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"Shut up and eat your food, Rick." He smiled at her.

Castle never failed to thank his good fortune for having met Kate. There was not a day that went by when he did not offer a silent prayer of thanks to Universe for bringing her into his life. It was funny how things turn out. It had taken murder to bring them together.

They had met over a triple homicide, when Kate was a an officer in the NYPD and assigned to the Homicide squad. With the NYPD short staffed of able bodied officers during the war years, they had taken on more women to fill many of the vacancies. Kate Beckett had volunteered and had passed. After a year working as a beat cop she had been assigned to the Homicide squad where she excelled despite the resentment and roadblocks of her older male colleagues.

She was working the case where a former Marine, Kyle Cabot had been charged with triple murder. He had been accused of murdering his social worker, a lawyer and a waitress from a diner he usually ate at. The case had garnered a great of news coverage because the social worker was the daughter of a prominent property developer.

Castle had read about the arrest of Cabot in the New York Ledger one morning over breakfast. He knew instantly that the kid was innocent of the crime.

Cabot had been a wide-eyed farm boy from Nebraska who like many of his countrymen had volunteered the day after Pearl Harbour had been bombed, wanting to do his bit for his country. The Marines had been his first and only choice.

Castle had met Cabot at Paris Island when they went through boot camp. They ended up in the 1st Marines. They had fought together on Guadalcanal, they had fought together in New Britain. But the stress of combat began to take its toll on the young Cabot until it got too much for him, like it did for many young men who faced the constant onslaught of relentless Japanese attacks. It broke Cabot and he was diagnosed with combat fatigue and shipped out ending up eventually back in the States.

Castle had seen the signs and had tried to look after the young man but it was hard to look after someone when your own life hung in the balance in the thick of battle. Castle had lost contact with Cabot after he got shipped out. There was never time to worry or wonder about those who had shipped out of the unit. There was never time to worry about those who had fallen by the wayside. You only had time to worry about those men around you when you went into battle. Castle only learned what became of him when he had read about the triple murder in the Ledger.

The first thing Castle had done was to get Cabot a good lawyer, and he did not even bat an eyelid at the amount he had to post as bail. Cabot was a former comrade in arms after all. He deserved the best legal representation that money could buy.

Getting Cabot a good lawyer and posting bail for him seemed not enough to Castle. He knew Cabot was innocent and he wanted to prove it. He was going to prove it. Was he not a private investigator?

So he went down to the 12th Precinct to see what the cops had on Cabot. And that is where he met Detective Kate Beckett. At first he had found it unusual to find a woman, a young woman at that serving in the NYPD. But as had discovered when he had returned from the war many women had taken over the jobs that were done by men during the war. Being the junior member of the team she was tasked with meeting Castle and see what he wanted.

To say that Castle was smitten by this beautiful woman would have been an understatement. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever set eyes on, which was something considering the string of starlets and models he had dated over the years. They all paled in comparison to this female detective. She was like no one he had ever met. Intelligent as well as beautiful.

Castle prided himself on being able to turn on the charm when he wanted to and could have most women practically swooning at his attention. On this fateful day Kate Beckett did not swoon at finding herself in the presence of the famed author. She was reserved and cordial at best.

Talking to Detective Beckett he learned that the cops were convinced that Cabot was guilty as hell and would not hear otherwise. She practically had to kick him out of the precinct.

Castle was well used to rejection. He would never have become an author if he had given up after receiving the first rejection slip from a publisher. He had a whole drawer of a filing cabinet filled with rejection letters. He would not be alive today if he had given up during the heaviest fighting in the South Pacific. He was not the type to give us that easily. He was not going to give up on Kyle Cabot.

At his meeting with Detective Beckett he had asked for a copy of the case file. Detective Beckett refused his request before she had kicked him out. Castle had always been a believer of there being more than one way to skin a cat. If he could not get a copy of the case file from the police he would find another way. He called on his friend the Mayor of New York and within a day or two he had a copy of the complete case file sitting on his desk.

It did not take him long to discover discrepancies in the police case. He also discovered that all three murder scenes were copies of murder scenes from his books. Armed with that information he called the 12th precinct and asked to speak to Detective Beckett. The detective agreed to meet with him. She chose to have the meeting at Remys.

What Castle did not know at the time was Kate Beckett also harboured doubts about Cabot's guilt. Her boss Detective McNulty was the one who was convinced that Cabot was guilty as sin. He was not the type to change his mind once it was made up. He certainly would not listen to Kate Beckett's

doubts and ordered her to leave it alone. The matter was now up to the courts to decide.

Over burgers and fries Castle tried to convince that the police had gotten the wrong man. He presented to Detective Beckett what he had found whilst going over the case file. Kate Beckett was a little annoyed that Castle had gone to the Mayor to get a copy of an official police file. She was also impressed that he had enough clout that he could call up the Mayor and get what he wanted but that was something she kept to herself. All the same she listened to what Castle had to say. It did not take Kate long to confess that she agreed with Castle. The author was surprised to hear her confession and then dumbfounded that she was not going to do anything about it.

That was when he challenged her. He told her that he may not know her all that well but one thing he was certain of was that she was not the kind of person who would let an innocent man go to prison for crimes he did not commit. That particular barb stung Kate deeply. Sitting there in the booth in Remys she decided to go behind her boss's back and investigate the murders further.

Castle and Kate investigated the case together and eventually found the man responsible for the murders. It turned out that the real murderer was the son of the property developer. Kate received praise from the lieutenant of the Homicide squad for finding the real culprit. But as she basked in the glory of solving the triple murder case, she knew she had earned the enmity of her immediate boss Detective Frank McNulty. It would not be long before she learned that it was not a good thing to cross Detective McNulty.

After the case Castle had invited her out on a date. Despite her better judgement Kate agreed, and here they were six months later.

"I'm handing in my resignation." Kate announced simply.

Castle shook off the day dreams he was indulging in when Kate's words sunk in and registered.

"You're quitting the club?" Castle's eyebrows rose up unable to hide his surprise.

Kate nodded her head.

"Why?"

Castle knew that she had only taken the job at the club to tide her over for the time being. It was not meant to be a long term job but all the same he was surprised that she was quitting so soon. She had only been running the club for about three months.

"It's not me, Rick." She sighed.

"But you were doing well there." He said. "The place has never run better."

Kate quirked an eyebrow in his direction.

"You're just saying that, Rick."

"No I'm not." Castle said. "Hey, I've seen the books, the place has been turning over a good profit ever since you took over running it."

Kate gave him a pursed lipped smile. She was more than a little proud of herself for that small achievement. When he had given her the job the place was barely breaking even. She had changed a few things here and there and the people started coming in.

"I don't see myself spending the rest of my life running a night club, Rick."

"Okay." Castle said thoughtfully. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'd like to get my old job back."

Castle nodded his head in understanding. He reached over and took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He recalled how shattered she had been when she had been forced from the one job she loved doing. He was not at all sure that she was over it.

"That may not be possible." He said in a low voice.

Castle was half expecting Kate to flare angrily. The anger did not come. He saw the sadness in her eyes. He hated seeing her looking sad. It broke his heart to see that look on her face. He would do anything to keep it from appearing but he did not want to lie to her. That would be far worse. Kate nodded her head in understanding. She let out a sigh.

"I know." Kate said in a low voice.

They lapsed into silence. Castle resumed stroking her hand offering what little comfort he could. He turned his gaze from Kate's face to take in the rest of the diner and was a little surprised to find that there were more people in here now. The after show crowd had started to filter in.

Sarah the waitress returned to their table to collect their plates.

"Can I get you some coffee?" She offered.

Castle gave Kate an inquiring look. Kate shook her head.

"Just bring us the check, Sarah." Castle informed her.

"Sure thing, Mr Castle."

Castle turned back to Kate.

"I have plenty of coffee at home." She informed him.

Castle smiled at her as he started reaching for his hat.

XXX

Kate unlocked her front door and held it open for Castle to walk in. Castle did not move. It took Kate a moment to realise that he was waiting for her to go in first. She could not help but smile, always the gentleman she thought to herself as she walked into her apartment.

He closed the door and locked it before he turned and followed her. He removed his hat and hung it on the hat wrack beside the door.

The apartment was a modest one bedroom abode with a large living room that was encircled with bookshelves, there were a couple of armchairs and a large matching sofa, on the coffee table in front of the sofa were more books. There was a dining area off to one side and through and archway directly ahead was the kitchen. The bedroom was to the right.

When Castle had first stepped into her apartment he had been amazed at the sight of all these books, there were almost as many books as he had in his loft. What had surprised him even more was discovering on one of the shelves, holding pride of place were all the books her had ever written. So much for not being a fan of his books, he had thought to himself with some amusement but he never called her out on it.

"Do you want some coffee, Rick?"

"Only if you're having some."

Kate shook her head.

Castle was taken aback. He could not remember the last time Kate had refused coffee.

"Would you mind helping me..." She stood with her back to him.

"Sure."

Castle stepped up to her and slowly undid the zipper, pulling it down only a little. She gave him a smile of thanks over her shoulder. His eyes followed her as she made her towards the bedroom. His eyes widened as he watched he pull the zipper all the way down and started to shed her dress as she entered her bedroom. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her naked back.

Kate paused and glanced back in his direction, shooting him a sultry look. "You coming, Castle?" She called out.

There were so many comebacks he could have spoken in that moment as he stared at her half naked body, the beautiful blue dress she had worn now pooled at her feet. So very many comebacks but all of them failed to find voice. He was mesmerised by the sight of her and yet his feet were moving. He was drawn to her like a moth to the flame and he would not have it any other way.

XXXXX

_**Your thoughts or opinions would be truly appreciated.**_

_**Con.**_


End file.
